


It's Time

by ghostofachancewithyou



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Bisexuality, Coming Out, Father's Day, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-28 00:56:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15037145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostofachancewithyou/pseuds/ghostofachancewithyou
Summary: Imagine Rafael Barba’s daughter coming out to him as bi. And Rafael finally makes a decision of his own.





	It's Time

“Happy Father’s Day!”

Rafael looked up from his morning paper and took off his reading glasses. His sixteen year old daughter had just entered the kitchen and sauntered up to where he was sitting at the counter.

She slid on the seat next to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He wrapped his right arm around and her and pulled her close for a second.

“Thanks, sweetie.” 

He was a little surprised that she had left her room to join him, even if it was a special day–well, at least to him.

“Where’s mom?”

“She’s getting breakfast. Sullivan’s.”

An indifferent “kay” was her only answer, which surprised Rafael because she usually loved the pastries from his favorite baker.

Before he could ask what that was supposed to mean, she pulled out her phone. End of conversation. He almost chuckled.

Rafael turned his attention back to his paper and a few silent minutes passed. After three intense years of raging hormones, passive-aggressive bickering and open verbal arguments, Rafael was happy that they were now able to sit in peaceful silence (not the unpleasant kind!) and simply enjoy each other’s company without either of them getting annoyed by … anything at all.

Rafael got up to pour himself another cup of coffee. He noticed that she had put her phone down at the counter and was staring into nothing. She was absentmindedly picking at the skin of her fingers–a habit she had almost completely dropped and only re-emerged in very stressful situations. Finals, visits to the vet, her abuelita’s health scare last year …

“What’s wrong? Do you want to talk?”

She was her father’s daughter, always had been. He knew the chances of her opening up to him just like that were slim.

So when she said, “Actually there is something I want to talk about,” he was slightly taken aback.

“Alright. Let’s talk.”

He turned towards her, sipping on his coffee and trying to cover up the fact that he was slightly worried.

She looked down at the counter and tapped her fingers on it as though she was playing the same piece on the piano over and over again.

Then she suddenly stopped.

“So … I’m …” 

She paused, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. 

“This is ridiculous …”

“No, it’s not, whatever it is, I’m listening.”

Rafael tried to stay calm, but his mind was racing. Raising a child in the city … he and his wife had often had their doubts. He knew too well that the most horrible things could happen to the most innocent people, even his smartass and intelligent daughter. But he didn’t allow himself to break into a full-blown helicopter parent panic—yet.

She looked up at him and smiled shyly.

“Come on, mija, hm?”

“Ok …”

She straightened herself up on her stool and took a deep breath.

“I have a crush on someone.”

Rafael furrowed his brows for a split second. That … was it? Of course, a lot of teenage girls felt awkward sharing something like this with their father. But her whole body language told him that there had to be more to it.

“Ok, that’s great, I guess. So—”

“But it’s a girl.”

The look on her face was anxious, almost scared.

But it only lasted a few seconds.

Rafael’s face began to lighten up and he smiled. It was genuine and very warm, it was the smile that very few people in his life had ever seen. These days it was only his daughter, his wife, and his mami. They were his girls, his familia, and his whole world. If he knew one thing, it was that he would love them forever, unconditionally.

His smile had appeared automatically, but he was well aware that his words would be just as crucial to her in this moment.

“I appreciate that you’re telling me this. I don’t care who you love as long as you’re happy. You always have my support, you know that. I love you.”

Apparently she needed a moment to process what she’d just heard, but then she got up and hugged him.

“I love you, too. Don’t worry, nothing happened, she doesn’t even know that I like her, but she’s amazing.”

Rafael held her longer than he had in months, maybe even years.

“I’m proud of you, pumpkin.”

“Ohhkay.” 

Suddenly she slipped out of his embrace and walked over to the fridge to get some juice, trying to act like nothing had happened, slightly ashamed for no reason and very awkward to be called by that nickname.

Rafael smiled to himself, but then his mind immediately went to the other most important person in his life. 

“Do you want to tell mom? She won’t mind at all, you know that.”

He tried to brace himself in case his daughter didn’t want to share this with her mother at this point—if so, would he even be able to hide it? Would he want to?

He was glad when she nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah, definitely. And I thought I’d tell abuelita too. We’ll see her tonight anyway. It’s just time, you know.”

Rafael’s mouth suddenly felt dry and he could swear the coffee in his (otherwise empty) stomach was turning into lead.

“Yes. You could. But you know that you have no obligation to come out to everyone right away. Take all the time you want and need.”

“I just thought I’d tell all of you today … I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

Rafael nodded pensively. Maybe it was time.

“So you know you don’t have to answer this, but—and none of this is really my business …”

“No, it isn’t!” she interrupted him as she walked back to the kitchen counter with a sassy smile, at which he raised his eyebrows and shook his head in mild amusement.

“ —but you went out with that Adam guy last year …”

“I liked Adam a lot. We didn’t really click. So yeah, I’m bi if that’s what you’re asking?”

“Got it.”

His long fingers nervously fiddled with his reading glasses.

Should he? No. It was probably a bad idea. Selfish. Would it really help her? She didn’t need to know, not telling her wouldn’t change anything.

She had picked up her phone again, texting away with a small smile on her face. It suddenly occurred to him that she’d probably told some of her friends already. This was a different generation. Everyone her age knew what “bisexual” meant. Sometimes it seemed like they’d been raised on different planets. His father. Catholic school. Sins. Never let your feelings show. 

And she had said it so casually: _I don’t want to make a big deal out of it._

Sixteen years old and wiser than him.

_You’re making excuses. She won’t be confused._

“You know …” he said and paused for a second until she looked up from her phone.

“What?”

“I’m bi, too.”

“ _What?_ Are you kidding me?”

Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened. 

She sounded more surprised than shocked and it meant the world to him. But he was still scared she’d misunderstand what he was trying to say.

“I love your mom, you know that right?”

“DAD!”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to upset you.”

She didn’t answer right away and still looked at him confusedly.

“I had no idea … I never even thought about your … about who you dated before mom. _Oh my God, does **she** know?”_

“Of course! I’d never hide that from her!” 

“Okay, good. Sorry, I …” 

He sighed. 

“Don’t be sorry. Not a lot of people know. It was … different back then. And I didn’t date a lot when I moved back from Harvard. Then I met your mom. Just doesn’t change the fact that I … like … that I find men … “ He sighed. “Too much information, right?!” 

“Kinda.” 

They both started laughing. 

But suddenly Rafael became serious again. 

“When I said I’m proud of you, I really meant it. I never actively tried to hide it, but … I could’ve been braver about it. I never felt very proud of me in that regard.” 

“Really? That doesn’t sound like you.” 

He sighed and nodded. 

“And I never told your abuelita.” 

She reached out and took her father’s hand. 

“So we’re gonna tell her tonight?” she asked. 

Rafael nodded. 

“Yes. It’s time.”

__

 

 

**Author's Note:**

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